Design and Real-World Application of a Flexible Mobile Robot System for Urban Logistics

As the demand for online retail and food delivery services continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important to find efficient last-mile delivery solutions that can support the sustainability of urban areas. Autonomous Delivery Robots (ADRs) could potentially offer a solution to these challenges. However, long-term real-world studies are still required. This work presents a concept for a flexible ADR-based logistics system for urban areas, with a focus on the design of a robust ADR with detachable transport boxes and accompanying infrastructure. Here, we draw on well-established methods from autonomous mobile robotics in intralogistics. We present a two-mode delivery concept that removes the need for the recipient to be present at the time of delivery. This concept is currently being tested in the ongoing efeuCampus living lab in Bruchsal, Germany. We provide first findings and recommendations for further research in this area.